A Command of Evidence question on the PSAT relies on your answer to the question that precedes it. These questions require you to identify the portion of the text that provides the best evidence for the conclusion you reached when selecting your answer to the previous question. Kaplan’s Strategy for Command of Evidence questions involves […]
Global questions on the PSAT require you to both identify explicit and determine implicit central ideas or themes in a text. If you pay attention to the big picture—the author’s central idea and purpose—while reading PSAT Reading passages, you will be able to answer Global questions with little to no rereading of the passage. To […]
The PSAT Reading Test will contain either two single Science passages or one single Science passage and one set of paired Science passages. Science passages differ from other passage types because: They often contain a lot of jargon and technical terms. They can utilize unfamiliar terms and concepts. While Science passages can be tricky due […]
The History/Social Studies portion of the PSAT Reading Test will consist of either two single History/Social Studies passages or one single History/Social Studies passage and one History/Social Studies paired-passage set. History/Social Studies passages are different from other passage types because: The passage will have a clearly stated topic, a well-defined scope, and a specific purpose. […]
Just as reading passages on the PSAT span different genres, your approaches will also vary from subject to subject. Let’s take a look at how to approach U.S. and World Literature passages on the PSAT. First, know that there will be a single U.S. and World Literature passage on the PSAT. It is different from the […]
In order to raise your score on the PSAT Reading test, there are three main skills you will want to master before PSAT test day. As you learn more about the PSAT Reading test, you’ll want to know how to: Identify the three types of passages on the PSAT Reading Test Passage Map passages using our method for Reading Comprehension, […]
You will see four Writing & Language passages on the PSAT, each of which will have 11 questions. Recognizing the text type of a Writing & Language passage helps you focus on the questions as they relate to the passage’s general purpose. Knowing the overarching aim of the passage will help you answer questions more […]
The Kaplan Method for the PSAT Writing & Language test is a technique you can use to boost your score. By understanding what the question is looking for, how it relates to the passage, and the questions you should ask yourself on Test Day, you will maximize the number of points you earn. Use the Kaplan […]
On the PSAT Writing & Language Test, you will be asked to identify and replace unnecessary shifts in verb tense, mood, and voice. Because these shifts may occur within a single sentence or among different sentences, you will need to read around the underlined portion to identify the error. In questions about shifts in construction, […]
On the PSAT, you will be need to be able to recognize and correct grammatically incomplete or substandard sentences. Additionally, you’ll have to recognize and correct inappropriate grammatical shifts in the construction of verb and pronoun phrases. Run-ons and fragments create grammatically incorrect sentences. The PSAT requires that you know the specific rules governing sentence […]